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Isaiah 30
IT is a principle with God, in His Word, to show the result that He will certainly bring about, and then to introduce details of practical instruction for those who are to be blessed in what He has stated already. So in chapters 28 and 29 we had the warring Gentiles, and God overturning their plans, disposing indeed of themselves, turning them out of His world who oppose Him, and now in chapter 30 we find the moral condition of those whom God would bless.
Egypt (verse 2) serves repeatedly in the Scriptures as an illustration or type of the world; why should those who have God for their help, seek help from the world or worldly wisdom? Was it not both dishonoring to Him, and debasing to themselves? It was not right, is not right for believers today, either.
The latter part of verse 7 should be read: “Therefore have I named her Rahab (Arrogance), that doeth nothing.”
Verses 8-11 Contain a charge which exposes the human heart. We do not by nature (Gentiles are in this the same as Jews) like the truth to be told about ourselves. Some of us have even gone out of our way to avoid meeting a faithful servant of the Lord; we have in heart refused His Word, despised the gospel.
And to rebellious, self-willed Jew (and Gentile) He says, “In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength,”— “and ye would not” (verse 15). For Israel it was in their doubts and fears as to the future, to return to their God, finding rest in Him and in His Word. So the apostle Paul, looking on into the future with some of the Lord’s people, said to them.
“I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” Acts 20:3232And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (Acts 20:32).
God has in perfect wisdom given to us His Word, and His ear to hear our prayers. The Word cannot be detached from the Person, so that we cannot make our say by depending on the Bible’s instruction while neglecting prayer, or by resorting to prayer while neglecting the Book of Books. God must be waited on, as well as His Word be drunk from.
This is not according to man’s will (verse 16). He will “flee upon horses.” Yes, says God, you shall flee indeed, and that at the rebuke of five (verse 17). It has been rightly said that God constantly makes the earthly object of trust to be the rod for the fool’s back.
Pointed have been these lessons, sharp the rebuke. But blessing is His object. He must pull us down from the seat of pride, and bring us into trouble, sometimes deep distress, but all for our ultimate blessing. So verse 18 begins the sweet story of His gracious love and mercy to all who will receive it.
“Blessed are all they that wait for Him.”
The weeping days will come to an end; there will be necessarily the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, but the Word of God will have its place (verses 20, 21). And when restored in heart they would rid themselves of everything that had drawn their hearts away from Him (verse 22).
Earthly blessings follow (verses 23-26), appropriate for Israel, whose hopes are all earthly. The Christian, whose hopes are all connected with heaven and the heavenly One, is never promised riches or plenty of good things on earth; for him, though blessed indeed now, there is to be the realization that the truest blessing will be found in the home above where Christ is.
Since the people of God have been spoken to, verse 27 now turns to their great enemy. He had been used by God to punish them; what is for him? Israel had sinned, but the Assyrian had been merciless, and vengeance will overtake him.
In verse 32 read the “appointed staff” instead of the “grounded staff;” “battles of shaking” is “tumultuous battles.”
ML 10/01/1933